Survival at older ages: are greater influenza antibody titers protective?

ABSTRACT

Antibodies are a core element of the immune system's defense against infectious diseases. We hypothesize that antibody titres might therefore be an important predictor of survival in older individuals. This is important because biomarkers that robustly measure survival have proved elusive, despite their potential utility in health care settings. We present evidence supporting the hypothesis that influenza antibody titres are associated with overall survival of older individuals, and indicate a role for biological sex in modulating this association. Since antibody titres can be modulated by vaccination, these results have important implications for public health policy on influenza control in aging populations.